Trump to interview Fed Governor Christopher Waller for top job

According to The Wall Street Journal, Waller has built a reputation in 2025 as one of the steadier voices pushing for rate cuts. That profile makes him look like a less openly political pick than some figures closer to Trump’s inner circle. Even so, in a White House process where personal trust matters, the interview itself could carry as much weight as any policy paper.

Waller has also stood out for how often he talks about payments and financial innovation. In early 2025, he described stablecoins as an important piece of the crypto ecosystem and suggested they could improve both everyday payments and cross-border transfers. Later in the year, he floated the idea of narrower, payments-focused accounts, a simplified take on access to the Fed’s infrastructure, aimed at letting some firms reach basic rails without relying entirely on bank intermediaries.

In recent days, Trump has said his leading options include two “Kevins.” He has pointed to former Fed governor Kevin Warsh and National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett as potential favorites. The debate has quickly widened beyond names to the Fed’s independence. Critics worry a new chair could be too closely tied to the administration. Supporters of a change argue the central bank has been too slow to move toward lower rates.

Other contenders being discussed for the Fed chair role include:

• Kevin Warsh. A former Federal Reserve governor (2006–2011) who served during the financial crisis and is well known to markets as a policy insider.
• Kevin Hassett. An economist who currently leads the National Economic Council and previously chaired the White House Council of Economic Advisers.
• Michelle Bowman. A Fed governor and vice chair for supervision. She has argued publicly that bank oversight should not choke off new technology, including blockchain-based approaches.
• Rick Rieder. BlackRock’s head of global fixed income and its chief investment officer for fundamental fixed-income strategies, a candidate coming from markets rather than from within the Fed.
• Scott Bessent. The U.S. Treasury secretary, who is involved in the selection process. Trump has said he is considering Bessent as an option, even as Bessent continues to speak publicly about the strengths of other candidates.

The White House is expected to move toward a final decision closer to February 2026, with an eye on leaving enough runway for a Senate confirmation process before Powell’s term ends.